Dental articulator.



M. M. KERR. DENTAL ARTICULATOR. APPLICATION FILED :uuz 29.1918.

Patented J an. 21; l9l9.

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. MATHEW M. KERR, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO DETROIT DENTALMANUFAC- TURING COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OFMICHIGAN.

DENTAL ARTICULATOR.

Application filed June 29, 1918.

T0 all/whom it may concern Be it known that I, MATHEW M. KERR, a citizenof the United States of America, residing at Detroit, in the county oflVayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Dental Articulators, of which the follow1ng 1s aSpecification, reference being had therein to the .accompanyingdrawings.

This invention relates to dental articulators such as comprise coactingjaws connected to move pivotally to and from each other and toalsorundergo a slight angular movement in parallel planes.

In the use of such a device it is frequently desirable to disconnect thetwo jaws, but in the constructions hitherto employed the pivotalconnection has been such as to requlre considerable manipulation andloss of tlme in order to take the aws apart or put them together.

2 It is the object of the present invention primarily to provide adental articulat or having a pivotal connectlon between 1ts jaws, suchas'will allow the necessary play in parallel planes and will at the sametime allow assembly or disassembly of the jaws to be accomplished veryquickly and without trouble.

A further object is to provide a simplified construction of dentalarticulator, the jaws of which may be stamped from sheet metal and whichwill employ a simple and inexpensive means to establish the detachablepivotal connection and to l1m1t the extent to which the jaws mayapproach each other.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a top view of the invention; I

Fig. 2 is a view of the same in a side elevation; and

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on line 33 of Fig. 2.

In these views the reference characters A and B designate a pair of jawmembers, preferably stamped from sheet metal, each of said memberscomprising an elliptical work-holding portion 0, a shank portion D ofreduced width, and an intermediate offset E, whereby the space intervalbetween the portions C is made greater than that between the portions D.From the shank of the upper jaw member A, a pair of lugs F projectdownwardly in spaced relation and terminate in portions projectingtoward the members C, in which portions there are Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented Jan. 21, 1919.

Serial No. 242,547.

formed slots G. Said slots receive the extremities of a sleeve H, havingcentrally secured thereto a pair of coiled springs J which extenddivergent to respectively engage projections K formed on the lugs F.Thus, said springs tend to maintain the sleeve H adjusted from the freeor workholding ends of the jaws and to resist movement of the sleevetoward said ends. The shank of the lower jaw member B is formed with apair of opposed upstanding lugs M between which the slotted portions ofthe lugs F extend and a pin N is removably passed through the lugs M andthrough the intermediate sleeve H thus establishing pivotal connectionbetween the two jaw members. Preferably said pin N is pointed at oneextremity and formed at the other with an eye, the point facilitatingintroduction of the pin into its bearings formed by the lugs N and thesleeve H, while the eye permits the pin to be readily grasped towithdraw the same from said bearings. Preferably the lugs N are flaredfrom each other slightly at their rear edges, as indicated at M, thusfacilitating the introduction of the lugs F between the lugs N when thejaw members are being assembled.

The shank portion of the jaw member A has an adjusting screw 0 engagedtransversely therein, the end of said screw being adapted to engage theshank portion of the member B to limit swinging movement of the jawmembers toward each other about the pivot pin. In order to maintain thescrew 0 in any adjusted position with respect to the jaw member O a locknut P is threaded upon said screw and frictionally engaged with the jawmember A. The rear ends of both jaw members are bent at right angles asindicated at B so that either part B may coact with the portion C of thesame jaw member to support the articulator in its normal position, asshown in the drawing.

In Fig. 1 there are shown in dash-line the relative positions which thejaws may assume through a movement in parallel planes and in Fig. 2there is shown in dashline a position which the lower jaw may assume inadvance of the upper one.

l/Vhen the jaws A and B are assembled, as shown in the drawing, thesprings J tend to maintain said jaws in vertical registration, but whena sufiicient force is exerted upon the jaws to overcome the resistanceof said springs, the jaws may be shifted to either of said clash-linepositions. The purpose of extending the slotted portions of the lugs Fconvergently is to avoid interference between the lugs M and F When thejaWs are subjected to relative lateral movement and the convergent formof said lugs F furthermore facilitates introduction of said jaws betweenthe lugs M. When the pin N is removed, the jaws may be readily takenapart, the sleeve H being permanently held in its described relation tothe lugs F by the springs J. The primary advantage of the constructionlies in the provision of a permanent adjustable bearing carried by oneof the j avvs to receive the pivot pin, said a'djustable bearing beingengaged by the springs instead of establishing the latter in directengagement With the pivot forming member.

N hat I claim as my invention, is:

1. A dental articulator, comprising a pair of coacting j aw members,pivot bearings respectively carried by said members, one of saidbearings being movable relative to the corresponding aW' membertransversely of its axis, means yieldably restraining the last-mentionedbearing for movement and a pivot pin detachably engaging said bearings.

2. A dental articulator, comprising a pair of coacting jaw members, apair'of spaced lugs projecting from one of said members in opposedrelation and formed With slots extending longitudinally of the jaws, asleeve having its extremities slidably engaging in said slots, meansyieldably restraining the sleeve against movement in said @epiee or thispatent may be obtained for slots, a pair of lugs projecting from theother jaw member outside of the slotted lugs, and a ivot pin detachab'lyengaging by one of said j aw members, a pair of spaced lugs projectingfrom the other jaw" member slotted longitudinally thereof, a sleeveloosely receiving said pivot pin and having its extremities slidablyengaged in said-slots, and means yieldably restraining: said sleeveagainst movement int'he slots".

4. A dental articulator comprising a pair of coacting jaw members, asleevetransversely carried by one'of said members, 'es tablishin'g itspivotal axis, said sleeve having a limited movement longitudinally ofthe member, a means: carried-by said member yieldably restraining saidsleeve against movement, and a pivot pin passing loosely through saidsleeve and 'detachably carried by the other jaw member.

5. A dental articulator, comprising apair of pivotally connectedcoacting sheet metal jaws, relatively laterally movable, means yieldably:resisti-ng, relativelateral move ment of said members, and a luglaterally projecting from one'ot said members and constituting a meansfor-actuating relative lateral movement in opposition to said spring,said lug being twisted into-a plane at right angles to that of themembercarrying the same and being bent substantially transverse to saidmember;

In testimony whereof I afiixmy signature.

MATHEW M. (KERR.

five cents each, by addressing the commissioner-erPatents.

Washington, D; 0.

